1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magnification device for bottles, more particularly for a lens having the capability of being moved about the bottle and which can also be focused by the user.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of magnification devices for reading indicia on medicine bottles is well know in the prior art. Until recently most devices were not affixed to the bottle; neither were they integrally connected to the bottle cap; and those devices that were affixed did not have the capability of being manipulated into focus.
In the prior art, the most common problem concerned the lens not being adapted to the shape of the bottle, thereby causing distortion of the indicia. Being able to read the small print is becoming a major concern, where in years past it was not that important. In the past the consumer/patient relied upon the advice of his/her doctor for a proper diagnosis of their ailment and also on the professionalism of the pharmacist to dispense the proper medicine. However, with the rising trend of chain store super pharmacies, there is a trend toward less pharmacists anti more assistants and technicians. This is a major problem as cited by the National Academy of Sciences, which estimates that hospital error for medication to surgical mistakes kill 44,000 to 98,000 Americans a year; more than breast cancer or highway accidents. Walgreen, which has filled over 248 million prescriptions, has at least 6,147 dispensing errors resulting in lawsuits. The number of prescriptions in the United States is expected to rise from 2 billion in 1992 to over 4 billion by the year 2005. Meanwhile the number of pharmacists is expected to decline by 25% over the same period. State agencies, in order to control the expected problems, are introducing legislation to control the number of assistants and technicians that a professional pharmacist may supervise. Unlike in the past, where people consulted their doctor more frequently, today more people have adopted a self-health approach. Regardless of whether the ailment is a stomach ache, a headache, fever, cough or flu-like symptoms, today many people will find their remedy in the aisles of their local pharmacy. Obviously, in the future people are going to be more personally responsible for their medicines.
Medicine boxes will frequently list in very large and bold print the symptoms that the enclosed medicine will aid. The xe2x80x9cwarningsxe2x80x9d on these boxes are usually in extremely fine print. The consumer is led to believe that because its in small print that it is not important. The system has moved from a scientific and professionally driven enterprise to a market driven enterprise. Everyone benefits from this invention, because everyone should be aware of the information presented in the small print. The biggest group at risk are senior citizens. With senior citizens making up the largest group of medicine users, and since they are more likely to have poor eyesight, the present invention a long felt need. Magnification devices are known in a large number of variants, particularly those designed for medical bottles. Thus U.S. Pat. No. 5,309,279 issued on May 3, 1994 to Halstead, teaches of a curved convex magnifying device which is slid onto a medicine vial, and the user slides it up or down to read the indicia on the bottle. While the device will self-affix to the bottle, it does not provide for differences in eye sight among users.
One of the first inventions to address the need for magnification of medical bottles was U.S. Pat. No. 2,961,108, which was issued to Johnson on Nov. 22, 1960. Johnson taught the use of a magnifying cap which was integral with the bottle cap, and when uncapped could be used to read the small print. It was not adaptable to the shape of the bottle and it required the cap to be removed for use.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,760,975 issued to DiGiovanni on Jun. 2, 1998, is another example of a magnifying lens that requires the cap to be removed for use. In this invention provision is made for the magnifying device to be used without the gain bottle cap being removed. Again, the contour of the bottle is not addressed, and this invention teaches of a magnifying device which is separate from the bottle. It does address the need to have a device which is adaptable to the shape of the bottle.
None of the above inventions and patents, either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.
Accordingly, the above problems and difficulties are obviated by the present invention which provides for an improved magnification device for reading medicine bottles. More particularly, it provides for a magnification device that is affixed to the bottle itself; can provide access to indicia anywhere on the bottle; and which can be focused to the individual eye sight of the user.
The present invention provides for a magnifying lens which is affixed to the cap of a medicine bottle. It has channels whereby rods are interposed coaxial therein, and which can be either pulled out or pushed in depending on the focus required by the user. Magnification is achieved through the use of a converging or convex lens, usually thicker in the middle and thinner at the edges. As depicted in the drawings, the lens shown is of a semi-lunar shape, but it is recognized that the shape of the lens is not to be restricted to only this lens shape. The lens itself can be the length of the bottle or else it can be a portion of the length, and therein slide up or down within an encasement. The most important provision of the present invention is the ability to rotate the lens completely around the perimeter of the bottle.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved magnification device for reading indicia of the side of a medicine bottle. This is particularly important for very fine print which so often is the way the xe2x80x9cwarningsxe2x80x9d are listed.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved magnification device which can easily be adapted to any type of medicine bottle cap, whether that be a cap that rotates 360xc2x0, a cap that is depressed into a slot or a cap that is of a non-rotary design.
It is yet still another object of the invention that the proper magnification lens be used for the desired purpose which is to avoid distortions.
It is another object of the present invention that the device be capable of 360xc2x0 rotation therefore affording the capability to read indicia around the entire bottle.
Still another object of the present invention is that the device have the ability to move towards or away from the indicia to allow the user to more clearly focus on the small print.
And still another object of the invention is that the device be capable of being removed from one bottle and used on another, thereby offering reusability, flexibility and lower costs.
It is yet a final object of the invention that the materials of manufacture and the design of the device itself be economical to therefore not lose any competitive edge.
An additional object of the invention is that the device be adaptable to all shapes of bottles, and not merely limited to round shapes.